New Britain native Gozzo joins New Britain Bees coaching staff

NEW BRITAIN - The New Britain Bees have spent the last few months putting together their roster for the upcoming season and now they have the rest of their coaching staff to go along with new manager Wally Backman.

New Britain native Mauro Gozzo has been named pitching coach, while Miguel Gomez has been named the team’s hitting coach the Bees announced Friday.

“We’re exciting to have these two individuals as members of our coaching staff for the 2018 season,” New Britain general manager Brad Smith said in a statement. “Along with Wally, Mauro and Miguel are veterans of the game that will bring valuable experience to the ballclub.”

Gozzo joins the Bees staff in what will be his first campaign in the Atlantic League. Prior to joining the Bees, Gozzo has been involved with a multitude of baseball initiatives, including being a private teaching instructor to former All-Star Matt Cain and current Red Sox left-hander Drew Pomeranz.

The New Britain native began his playing career after being drafted out of Berlin High School by the New York Mets in the 13th round of the 1984 MLB amateur draft. Gozzo spent three years in the Mets organization before making his Major League debut with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1989. The right-hander had a six-year big league career, also playing for the Cleveland Indians (1990-91), Minnesota Twins (1992) and Mets (1993-94).

Gomez spent the last three years as an assistant to the manager of the El Paso Chihuahuas, the Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres, of the Pacific Coast League. Prior to that, Gomez was an assistant to the manager of the El Paso Diablos of the American Association in 2013 and also managed the Las Cruces Vaqueros Professional Baseball Team in the independent Pecos League in 2011.